Michael Dorf (entrepreneur)

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Michael Dorf is a New York entrepreneur. He is the founder of the Knitting Factory, an influential music performance venue in New York City. He currently is one of the more important producers in New York City ranging in a tribute series at Carnegie Hall to the songwriting legends of Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Sedaka and Elton John, to producing Jewish Music Festivals and other large scale programs.

1 Knit Media Years
2 Producer Profile
3 Acknowledgements
4 Sources

[edit] Knit Media Years

In 1986, at the age of 23, Dorf started the Knitting Factory in the East Village of New York. The Knitting Factory later became a widely known club for jazz and rock music. A spin-off entertainment company, KnitMedia, eventually established 8 record labels and 700 titles. Dorf was the executive producer on over 200 of those titles. In 2002, Dorf resigned as CEO of the Knitting Factory and sold his interests in 2007. He currently is opening City Winery, the first private label winery in New York.

[edit] Producer Profile

Since 1993 Dorf has been the producer a number of New York's largest festivals including: The New York Jazz Festival with such sponsors as Bell Atlantic, Intel, Heineken, Texaco and producing the Intel and Apple New York Music meets Technology Festivals. In addition, Dorf has also produced over 100 festivals and stages in Europe with partnerships such as Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Vienna Jazz Festival, Pori, London, and dozens of others. Dorf also founded in 1996 the Digital Club Network with partner Andrew Rasiej. The business grew and was eventually acquired by eMusic Group.

[edit] Acknowledgements

Michael Dorf has been profiled in Inc. Magazine's fastest growing companies. New York Magazine named him part of "The Ten Most Influential New Yorkers," and he is a frequent speaker on the subject of music and new technology. In 2003, Michael has pursued a few philanthropic activities in Lower Manhattan which include founding Tribeca Hebrew, an after-school Hebrew program with over 120 registered children between 4 and 10 years old in its second year. As well, he is the executive producer of the New York Jewish Music & Heritage Festival which has just completed it’s second successful year. Michael is married with three children and lives in Tribeca, New York.

Dorf is creating a 21,000 square foot facility in Lower Manhattan called City Winery. It will be New York's first private winery and also function as a 400 capacity event space, complete with a full state-of-the-art sound .